do you have a good example of a game (or if not, a concept) that's cozy without being stardew about it
We wrote like an actual mile of response to this and inevitably like with all long posts we write got embarrassed and decided to completely redraft it shorter. It;s shorter now. I prommy its sjhorter;
so first of all. technically when we say all of the games that exist are stardew. it is not even in a spiritually-stardew sense as much as a very literal descriptor (i am drowning in harvest moon clones. there is no sign of land. concernedape is coming down with me. hand in unlovable hand) because genuinely the steam life sims tag is, conservatively, 40% stardew clones with some specific gimmick tacked on. Which is grim.
that aside. honestly our relationship to "cozy games" as a genre is kind of not an intentional or willing one as much as a confluence of the fact that (1) we really enjoy cute artstyles and character customization/player housing/base building to an extent where we will play games that aren't primarily about those things just to focus on their limited mechanics for them and (2) sometimes our anxiety is so bad that experiencing any sort of conflict or tension ruins the point of a leisure activity. and it turns out the combination of those things (or actually, clicking on the steam "life sim" tag even entirely independent of them) has a defined word and community and vibe even if we find the execution of those things kind of offputtingly cutesy a lot of the time
ANYWAY. THAT ALL BEING SAID. Various examples of ACTUAL GAMES that fulfill the cute-low-tension-but-still-a-game impulse without being stardew, or almost do in a way we find notable:
the easiest pull we can think of is house flipper and house flipper 2. we honestly have shockingly little to actually say about them; they are extremely good at what they set out to do and they are the most to our personal taste (aesthetically and in subject matter) of the "perform menial tasks so you can buy better tools to perform menial tasks" microgenre (a la powerwash simulator)
wobbledogs is fantastically low-energy while still being very engaging
i dont think the sims series is intrinsically "cozy" in the again quite specific way people use that word but you absolutely can play at least 3 with ridiculously minimal conflict and cutesy family dynamics and turn off aging entirely and never do anything else that could potentially kill you etc, which is how we played it as a VERY timid child
we really like animal crossing, actually, but the real-time aspect is very rough on us, lol. a lot of the stuff we probably will never get around to because when we end up playing it is entirely based on luck
moving into the more dubious parts of the list, either because we havent played them, theyre objectively bad, or theyre objectively stardew-adjacent and we're hypocrites:
if the nikki series dress up games were not f2p garbage they would be REALLY GOOD DRESS UP GAMES and we probably wouldnt do our "there have never been good dress up games ever" bullshit every few months. like they are so close to being incredibly solid. but the freemium bullshit. god help us.
we're always like we should buy epistolary puzzle game unpacking :) and we always have some other game we want to get more and we never buy it. but it fits the parameters we're thinking about
slime rancher is PRETTY FUCKING STARDEWISH strictly in mechanics, and we cant articulate the distinctions super well because we havent played either game in ages (i think we last seriously played it in 2020 LOL) but i do remember it not feeling like we were just playing stardew, which goes very far actually!
easily the most embarrassing entry here is ranch of rivershine, which is absolutely stardew with horses. most of the dna is stardew. but like. they put SO MUCH EFFORT into the horses. MOST of it is horses. horses with stardew?
Anyway. So broadly we like kind of domestic subjects, and crafting, and home/character customization, and cute stuff etc. although i SWEAR we're not so picky as long as the game is actually good AND NOVEL. Because like. We own stardew. Everyone owns stardew. We can just go play stardew we dont need a $15 new game about it
Could I trouble you for Claypollo and 23 from the kisses prompt? 😊
It has been a hot minute since I've written Claypollo, but I hope you like it! No trouble at all!
Kiss Prompt 23: In Relief (Around 600 words)
It’s been hours…
Hours after he left Athena’s car, thanking her for going out of her way to drop him off on a busy Saturday morning. He was in such a rush, and he really should have just asked her to get him a bit closer to the estimated landing time, but his fears had won. He was so nervous, fidgeting his bracelet and staring at the ceiling of his apartment, he knew he had to come. He was convinced the voyage would have been completed by the time he got here.
Yet, Apollo is still sitting in the waiting area of the Cosmos Space Center, anticipating to hear the announcement he’s been needing to hear all day. It’s around four o’clock in the afternoon when the speakers blare up.
“The HAT-3 has just landed safely. The astronauts will be disembarking in ten minutes.” The voice of Cosmos echoes through the center through the speakers. “We ask anyone who would like to witness this moment to entire the docking bay in an organized and safe way.”
No one listens.
Before Apollo can get into the front to see the spectacle, people rush over. The reporters swarm to the bay, excitedly chattering about the news snippet they’re about to report on. So, he waits for the crowds to disperse. He doesn’t want to focus on multiple conversations and be trapped behind someone taller than him.
When the crowd has moved into the docking bay, Apollo goes in. He was right that the crowds are pressed to the windows, drawn to the event like moths to a light. He shifts forward, trying to observe from a decent spot. To his luck, there’s a small area he can poke through.
Two astronauts come out of the rocket, helped out by other staff members. Both are wobbly, stumbling forward as they adjust to the gravity. The one in front is unmasked by a staff member, Clay’s poofy blue-black hair a complete mess. Regardless of how much of a disaster he looks right now, he looks starstruck. With a smile on his face, his eyes bright with euphoria, his demeanor is nothing but pride.
He’s finally fulfilled his dream…
Apollo smiles, his heart calming down as he realizes his boyfriend is safe and sound. As much as he had tried to not fret about it the entire time, and as much as he tried to convince himself that he was fine, it was futile. He had been worried sick. The HAT rockets have had a bad history of everything going horribly wrong, so though it was something he tried to push in the back of his mind, it still lingered.
The dock bay door opens, and security stands firm on each side. Apollo won’t be able to get in by this rate. Frowning, he just looks through the window.
One of the guards he knows waves and motions Apollo to come over. He does as asked, and the security guard lets him in the dock without needing to ask who he is.
“Just be easy with him, he’s still adjusting to the gravity.”
“Thanks.” Apollo smiles before walking forward on the walkway to the other astronauts.
He’s trying to keep the security guard’s words in mind, but the moment Clay’s eyes glisten when he catches Apollo walking down, his arms immediately open to embrace him in a hug. Apollo can’t help it. Rushing forward, he all but jumps in Clay’s arms.
His partner wraps his arms around his waist, holding him close. Clay’s grip isn’t as tight as usual, but his presence is still comfortable enough. Apollo cups his face, leaning in and pressing his lips on Clay’s own. The relief that washes through him is enough to soothe his fears, and when Clay immediately reciprocates, everything is finally fine.
"i absolutely love this twink" about gitaxias? how many times must we go through this my friend
Lore
Kieh kieh. You are mistaken, ignorant fleshling. Your primitive categories of 'twink' and 'otter' speak only to the limited capabilities of your meat-brain, as your feeble neurons would fry themselves attempting to comprehend my true Phyrexian gay swag.
Scuttle along now. I have an overgrown, chronically hungry “bear”, as you call him, to attend to.
I'm a bit late, but can I talk you into Claypollo 49 for the kiss prompt?
AAHHH YES CLAYPOLLO!!!! i have a little AU of sorts where clay just barely survived the stabbing, because canon hurts too much x) so take this fun angst about clay in the hospital!! at least he’s alive!!!
Apollo had never before understood how difficult it was to have your heart in two places at once. He had to solve the case, more than anything he understood that. His top priority was seeing justice through to the end, to ensure that he held up a system in which the innocent people were protected. He had to go to court tomorrow, to defend Solomon Starbuck from accounts of a bombing and attempted murder.
But he wanted - no, needed - to be by Clay’s side.
Of course Starbuck hadn’t done it. He and Clay were thick as thieves, and even though he’d been terrified to get back out there, he was willing to face his fear alongside one of his closest friends.
And now that friend was in the hospital, fighting for his life.
Apollo sat there in the brightly-lit room, attempting to ignore the way the fluorescence hurt his eyes. He could not bring himself to look away from the bed, where the love of his life was swathed in too-clean white sheets that made him look even more pale. The heart monitor beeped slowly, but regularly - he was unconscious.
Clay survived, just barely. He hadn’t woken up - they didn’t know if he would ever wake up - but he still breathed, and his heart still beat.
For now, that was enough.
“I should have been there,” Apollo said quietly. “I don’t know what I could have done, but - I should have been there.”
Of course, he wouldn’t get a response. But that had never stopped him before.
“Don’t worry about Starbuck. I’ll make sure he’s free to go. He’ll come visit before you know it.” He couldn’t help himself - it was like he’d been possessed, the way he got up from the uncomfortable chair and stood by Clay’s side. He felt like he was seeing everything in third-person, like he was playing some sort of horrible video game about losing the most important person in the world. He reached out to gently wrap his fingers around Clay’s hand.
He was so cold.
“You’ll be fine, Clay Terran.” The words choked him. Tears brimmed at the edges of his vision, but he didn’t let them fall. He couldn’t.
He had to go.
“Apollo?” A voice from the doorway - the next person to watch over Clay. Considering the attempted murder, the Wright Anything agency had set up a round-the-clock watch at the hospital… just to make sure.
“Hi, Klavier.” Apollo didn’t turn away from Clay’s bedside. “Just give us a moment.”
He didn’t wait for a response. He placed his other hand on Clay’s cheek - cold, just like his hand - and Apollo felt his heart crack.
To say he was terrified would be the world’s biggest understatement. The thought of leaving him here hurt worse than any physical pain, even with the knowledge that he wasn’t leaving Clay alone. There was something so horribly wrong about him tucked into that hospital bed, all still and silent.
He leaned in and pressed his lips carefully to Clay’s forehead. The nurses had removed his hat, and his fluffy hair tickled Apollo’s nose.
Apollo closed his eyes. This was like any number of kisses he’d given Clay - if only for the fact that there was no laughter, no smile, no shocked, exhilarated joy when Clay would then sweep him off his feet and kiss him back.
He pulled away. “I’ll be fine, too.” He whispered this - for once, those words of comfort were only meant for Clay, and Clay alone. Even if he couldn’t hear them.
He stood back up and headed for the door. Klavier waved at him. “Good luck.” He peeked into Clay’s room. “I’ll make sure he’s okay.”
Apollo gave his friend a half-hearted smile. “Thanks. I’m sure if you practiced your music in there, you could wake him right up.”
“Don’t give me any ideas!” Klavier chuckled.
The interaction felt half-real, like Apollo had forgotten how to speak to other human beings entirely. But Klavier was kind, and must have understood, because he took it with grace.
Apollo left the hospital with only half of his heart. The other half was nestled away with Clay, trapped in that cold, too-bright hospital room.
He’d stop at nothing to protect Clay - and that meant, first and foremost, catching his would-be killer.
He was Apollo Justice, damn it, and he was going to be fine.
SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG IS A BITCH ASS MOTHERFUCKER HE PISSED ON MY FUCKING WIFE HE TOOK HIS HEDGEHOG QUILLY DICK OUT AND PISSED ON MY FUCKING WIFE AND HE SAID HIS DICK WAS
The entire “I’m fine now” cutscene, which is an extremely unnatural reaction to trauma, unless Apollo had just received some very good news
The end cutscene of DD, with Apollo and Athena together watching the launch of the HAT-2, which, again, would be way more difficult for Apollo than it appeared to be if he were actually grieving
In 5-4 they make a point of clearly establishing that the victim’s body was in good condition. The only point of relevance for this in 5-4 is the ruptured oxygen tank, which contradicts other evidence, but that contradiction would have been there even if they hadn’t explicitly established the victim’s condition.
“kazuma asougi is trans and alive” theory already proven half true. the precedent has been set.
